1. Field of the Invention
The apparatus of the present invention pertains to tables. More particularly, the apparatus of the present invention relates to a table having a centrally located disposal assembly for disposing of waste, particularly seafood shells or the like, during dining thereon.
2. General Background
In the art of fine dining, particularly in the dining on shell seafood such as clams, oysters, shrimp, crawfish, mussels, lobsters and crabs, it is somewhat of an inconvenience to dine amongst the non-edible shelled portions of the particular seafood, which often times clutters the table top. In addition, due to the fact that the shelled seafood, prior to be eaten, is often placed on the table until it is eaten, there is a continuing problem of the eaten and uneaten shelled products to become mixed together, creating the uneasy task of having to sort them out in order to find the yet uneaten seafood.
In addition, beverages which are served during the eating of the seafood must by an necessity be maintained off of the tabletop to make room for the used shelled and unshelled seafood, and therefore must be stored in an ice chest or the like near the table in order to have them readily available. This is often inconvenient, and not suitable to easy access.
There are several patents which have been obtained on the subject of tables having certain features which may be pertinent to the present invention, the most pertinent being as follows:
U.S. Pat. No. 1,584,139, issued to Porter, entitled "Bedside Table", teaches the use of a table which has a hole in the center for allowing debris and the like to be thrown through it.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,261,514, issued to Dunigan, entitled "Combined Dining Table, Food Warmer, and Lamp" teaches the use of a table having a rotating auxiliary container for the placement of food and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,903,419, issued to Keller, entitled "Combination Table Top and Rotatable Tray" also teaches the use of an apparatus having a rotatable tray for serving food and the like from.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,181,318, issued to Johnson, entitled "Cleansing Tissue Holder", teaches the use of a holder for tissue and the like.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,059,957, issued to Mendenhall, et. al, entitled "Obstetric Table"; U.S. Pat. No. 2,022,591, issued to Everitt, entitled "Combination Service Table, Drain and Conveyor"; U.S. Pat. No. 1,106,057, issued to Puckett, entitled "Supporting Table", and U.S. Pat. No. 1,897,717, issued to Appel, entitled "Table Attachment", all teach the use of a type of table for supporting and serving.